Tubes Up the Nose

So today it really sunk in, I will be undergoing cancer treatment soon.  I was going to have my second surgery today. This will consist of having a G-Tube/Feeding tube placed in my stomach.  Of course I had to be NPO (no food) from midnight until after the procedure.  I was not looking forward to this because I know part of the procedure involves putting a scope or tube up you nose....again.

Anyway the  surgery was scheduled for 10:30 AM.  Jane and I were hanging around the Cancer Institute so I thought we should go check in early.  Talking to the receptionist we discovered the interventional radiologist was running late and they were looking more like 11:30 AM.  So we headed home.  (Thank Heavens, we only live 3 miles away.) I laid down and Jane, bless her soul, ironed.  Anyway, back to Huntsman at 11:15 to check in.  They came right out to get me.  Jane came along. They said she could watch.  I took off my coat and laid down under an xray machine.   A radiologist and technologist came in and introduced themselves.  They made me squirt lidocaine up my nose (ich)  and said this shouldn't take long.  I was thinking, hum no IV, no consent. I even had my shirt on and I thought it strange that they would later have me take it off to place the tube in my stomach through my abdomen.

Off to work they went.  I closed my eyes and tolerated the tube best I could.  After about ten minutes with the tube in the correct place the radiologist said, Well we are all finsihed." What?  This is not what I expected.  I told him I thought I was going to have tube place into my stomach through my abdomen.  He said, "Oh that would take IV sedation and a small surgery and have to be done in interventioal radiology. "I thought this was interventional radiology," I said.  Uhmm (worried look come over his face).  "I will be right back."  After awhile, several phone calls and a check of the schedule he came back and said, "Sorry, they want you to have a different type of feeding tube."  (I know that.)  "We also checked with interventational radiology and they are booked up for the day so you will have to reschedule."  He grabbed the tube and pulled it out of my nose.  There goes nothing.

God I hate shit shoved up my nose.

After discussing the situation with Dr. Ying's nurse, Diane, she arranged for the procedure to be done down at the University of Utah Radiology later this same day.  Well at least I am NPO.  Off Jane and I went to check into the University and hopefully get my G-tube placed.  We are going to make sure from now on that everyone is on the same page with procedures.  We met the Doctor. nice guy, but I can't remember his name.  I think it was the drugs.  He explained the procedure, I signed the consent, they started an IV and I felt comfortable we were all on the right page.  This was way better.  They gave me versed and fentenyl and having shit shoved up my nose was no longer that uncomfortable.  Weird.... Now I am home.  Tube sticking out my stomach.  Still can't eat and it feels like a horse kicked me in the stomach.  I much perfer a tube under my shirt to one sticking out of my nose for 3 months. 

Well, believe it or not, I must have grown from last week.  Remember when radiology forgot to tell me to be NPO for my PET/CT scan and I got pissed?  Well, today was much better.  I laughed.  Nobody did this on purpose and it was harmless.  Except for the shit up the nose.  I realized not to take things too personal when you have no control over why it happened and it wasn't anyone close to me doing something to try and hurt me.  It is kinda like being stuck in traffic.  No one is doing this to you and or agaist you, it is just happening.  I can deal with that. I can look at it from afar the then let it go.

I think that is a good take home message for the day.  I am also grateful to Edith, Diane and all the folks at Interventional Radiology at the University for their wonderful care and working me in on short notice.  You can decide how you look and react to situations that happen every day.  Namaste